diff --git a/shell/windows/LayersShell/App.xaml.cs b/shell/windows/LayersShell/App.xaml.cs
index ccec462..109b776 100644
--- a/shell/windows/LayersShell/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/shell/windows/LayersShell/App.xaml.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+using System;
+using System.IO;
 using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
 
 namespace LayersShell;
@@ -8,12 +10,47 @@ public partial class App : Application
 
     public App()
     {
-        InitializeComponent();
+        Log("App ctor enter");
+        try
+        {
+            InitializeComponent();
+            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException += (_, e) =>
+                Log($"UnhandledException: {e.ExceptionObject}");
+            UnhandledException += (_, e) =>
+                Log($"XAML UnhandledException: {e.Exception}");
+            Log("App ctor ok");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Log($"App ctor FAILED: {ex}");
+            throw;
+        }
     }
 
     protected override void OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
     {
-        _window = new MainWindow();
-        _window.Activate();
+        Log("OnLaunched enter");
+        try
+        {
+            _window = new MainWindow();
+            Log("MainWindow constructed");
+            _window.Activate();
+            Log("MainWindow activated");
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Log($"OnLaunched FAILED: {ex}");
+            throw;
+        }
+    }
+
+    internal static void Log(string line)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            var path = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), "layers-shell.log");
+            File.AppendAllText(path, DateTime.Now.ToString("HH:mm:ss.fff ") + line + Environment.NewLine);
+        }
+        catch { }
     }
 }
diff --git a/shell/windows/LayersShell/MainWindow.xaml.cs b/shell/windows/LayersShell/MainWindow.xaml.cs
index 06b41ea..6c85723 100644
--- a/shell/windows/LayersShell/MainWindow.xaml.cs
+++ b/shell/windows/LayersShell/MainWindow.xaml.cs
@@ -25,9 +25,15 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
 
     public MainWindow()
     {
-        InitializeComponent();
+        App.Log("MainWindow ctor enter");
+        try
+        {
+            InitializeComponent();
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex) { App.Log($"InitializeComponent FAILED: {ex}"); throw; }
         Title = "Layers";
         _hwnd = WindowNative.GetWindowHandle(this);
+        App.Log($"hwnd = {_hwnd:X}");
 
         var appWindow = AppWindow.GetFromWindowId(Win32Interop.GetWindowIdFromWindow(_hwnd));
         if (appWindow is not null)
@@ -51,10 +57,23 @@ public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
 
         DispatcherQueue.TryEnqueue(() =>
         {
-            PointToRust();
-            LayersNative.StartupIfNeeded();
-            CreateNativeHandle();
-            StartRenderLoop();
+            try
+            {
+                App.Log("deferred init: PointToRust");
+                PointToRust();
+                App.Log("deferred init: StartupIfNeeded");
+                LayersNative.StartupIfNeeded();
+                App.Log("deferred init: CreateNativeHandle");
+                CreateNativeHandle();
+                App.Log($"deferred init: _handle = {_handle:X}");
+                StartRenderLoop();
+                App.Log("deferred init: render loop started");
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex)
+            {
+                App.Log($"deferred init FAILED: {ex}");
+                throw;
+            }
         });
     }